The present invention is generally directed to an interlocking connection for two or more components of an item of jewelry, and more particularly to an interlocking connection for two or more ring portions which are combined into a single finished ring.
There are a variety of jewelry designs which incorporate joining separate pieces into a final product. However, such designs lack the ability to provide an interconnection which permanently and mechanically links two or more pieces together.
One design for a ring is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,887 for a xe2x80x9cRing Remount Wrap Assembly.xe2x80x9d In this design two ring portions are configured to wrap around a central third ring portion. The ring portions are not permanently interconnected and can be easily disassembled. A similar arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,144 for xe2x80x9cInterconnectable Rings.xe2x80x9d In a different approach, U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,158 for a xe2x80x9cWrap Ring Assemblyxe2x80x9d discloses a pin assembly which is used to secure three ring portions at a common point along the circumference.
Other ring designs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 348,022 and Des. 421,405.
In certain instances, such as when two different metals are desired to effect a particular design, it is advantageous to utilize a method of mechanically interconnecting the metal pieces without welding or chemical bonding. The present invention provides a mechanical interconnection which permanently interconnects two or more pieces of an item of jewelry. For example two or more ring portions can be interconnected to obtain an aesthetically pleasing ring design.
The present invention is directed to an item of jewelry, such as a ring, having one or more ring portions mechanically interlinked or interconnected to form a single piece. Each ring portion includes a linking segment or mechanism which mates with a corresponding linking segment or mechanism on another ring portion. The ring portions are pressed together to permanently form a final aesthetically pleasing ring. Moreover, the ring portions, collectively, form the entire ring, i.e., both the inside surface as well as the outside surface.
In one embodiment of the invention, an item of jewelry in the form of a ring comprises a first generally circular ring portion having a first radially inward linking segment; and a second generally circular ring portion having a first radially outward linking segment. The first radially outward linking segment of the second ring portion is secured to the first radially inward linking segment of the first ring portion.
The first radially inward linking segment may comprise a groove formed in a radially outward surface of the radially inward linking segment. The groove is designed to mate with a tongue formation formed on a radially inward surface of the radially outward linking segment. When the first and second ring portions are pressed together, the tongue formation on the radially outward linking segment, in effect xe2x80x9csnapsxe2x80x9d into the groove of the radially inward linking segment to mechanically interconnect the two ring portions into a single ring.
The first radially inward linking segment of the first ring portion may extend 360 degrees about the first ring portion. In this embodiment, the first radially outward linking segment of the second ring portion would also extend 360 degrees about the second ring portion.
In an alternative embodiment the first ring portion may additionally comprise a first radially outward linking segment, a second radially inward linking segment, and a second radially outward linking segment. These segments would typically alternate around the circumference of the ring. In this embodiment, the second ring portion would further comprise a first radially inward linking segment which would be secured to the first radially outward linking segment of the first ring portion, a second radially outward linking segment which would be secured to the second radially inward linking segment of the first ring portion, and a second radially inward linking segment which would be secured to the second radially inward segment of the first ring portion. Additional corresponding linking segments can also be utilized.
In a further embodiment, the first radially inward linking segment of the first ring portion comprises a generally planar portion, or outer surface, inclined at a first angle with respect to a center axis of the first ring portion and a groove at one edge of the planar portion. Both the planar portion and the groove are formed on a radially outward surface of the first radially inward linking segment. The first radially outward linking segment of the second ring portion comprises a planar portion, or inward surface, inclined at a second angle with respect to a center axis of the ring portion and a tongue formation at one edge of the planar portion of the first radially outward linking segment. Both the planar portion of the first radially outward linking segment and the tongue formation are formed on a radially inward surface of the first radially outward linking segment. Although, described as xe2x80x9cplanarxe2x80x9d portions (in that the surfaces are generally flat when viewed in cross-section), the inward and outward surfaces are arcuate because they follow the curve of the ring, and are more accurately described as conic sections (in instances in which the linking segment extends 360 degrees about the ring) or segments of a conic section (in instances in which the linking segment extends less than 360 degrees about the ring).
In another embodiment, the first ring portion can be formed from a first metal, and the second ring portion can be formed from a second metal different from the first metal. In one embodiment the first metal of the first ring portion is gold, and the second metal of the second ring portion is platinum. Alternatively, other precious metals or metal alloys may be used. Moreover, both the first and the second ring portions can be formed from the same metal.
In an alternative embodiment, the first radially inward linking segment of the first ring portion comprises a socket, and the first radially outward linking segment of the second ring portion comprises a ball formation.
In another embodiment, the ring comprises a gem (or other precious stone or pearl) lock-set between a first and second ring portion. In this embodiment, a first radially inward linking segment of a first ring portion includes a cutaway portion, and a first radially outward linking segment of a second ring portion also includes a cutaway portion. A gem is positioned and set in the space provided by the cutaway portion of the first radially inward linking segment and the cutaway portion of the first radially outward linking segment. The gem is trapped between the first ring portion and said second ring portion when the first and second ring portions are pressed together.
In an embodiment having alternating radially inward and outward linking segments, the linking segments can be generally rectangular. Additionally, other configurations are possible. For example, the linking segment may be generally triangular.
The present invention is also directed to a ring assembly comprising a first ring portion having a first radially inward linking segment, and a second ring portion having a first radially outward linking segment adapt to engage the first radially inward linking segment of the first ring portion. The ring portions can be sold apart, and can then be pressed together during a ceremony, such as a marriage, to symbolically represent a union of two people. When pressed together, the first ring portion will be mechanically interconnected to the second ring portion, and more particularly, the first radially inward linking segment of the first ring portion will be mechanically interconnected to the first radially outward linking segment of the second ring portion. Moreover, in this embodiment, the first ring portion may include a plurality of spaced apart radially inward linking segments disposed about the ring portion and a plurality of spaced apart radially outward linking segments, each of the radially outward linking segments positioned between radially inward linking segments.
In a still further embodiment, more than two ring portions can be interconnected to form a ring. In this embodiment a ring may comprise a first ring portion having a first linking segment and a diametrically opposed second linking segment, a second ring portion having a first linking segment secured to the first linking segment of the first ring portion; and a third ring portion having a first linking segment secured to the second linking segment of the first ring portion. The first linking segment of the first ring portion may be a radially inward segment, and the second linking segment of the first ring portion may also be a radially inward segment.
In a still further embodiment, the invention is directed to an item of jewelry comprising a first piece having a radially inward linking segment, and a second piece having a radially outward linking segment mechanically interconnected with the radially inward linking segment of said first piece. The item of jewelry may be an earring, cuff-link, pendant or other type of jewelry.
Further aspects of the present invention are described in the Brief Description of the Drawings, the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment, the Abstract of the Invention, and are shown in the drawings.